Outdoor May Wedding At Briar Ridge Country Club

May 8, 2018 Steve Vansak

Romantic kiss hillside at Briar Ridge Country Club.

It was warm and sunny for Sheri and Ryan's May wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club in Schererville, Indiana. It was also Cinco de Mayo!! However, the main theme of the day that I noticed right from the start was laughter and family....

Mother of the bride looks on as her daughter has her veil put in place.

Groom prep for a May wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Sheri and Ryan had an audience of friends and family as they had their first look. It was a wonderful coming together moment. We then spent the afternoon taking bride and groom portraits and fun wedding party pictures.

The reveal for the bride and groom at Briar Ridge.

The bride and groom take a romantic stroll up a hill.

Fun bride and bridesmaids photos on the golf course at Briar Ridge.

Wedding party during a May wedding at Briar Ridge.

Goofing off with friends and family on wedding day.

As we made our way around the sun filled golf course, many congratulations were sent the newlyweds way from the players.

The sun shines down upon the bride and groom at Briar Ridge Country Club.

A romantic gaze in a vintage tone for the bride and groom.

Wedding pictures at Briar Ridge in Schererville, Indiana.

The ceremony saw an SRO crowd cheer on the couple. Sheri's father escorted her down the aisle as Ryan watched in earnest.

The groom watches his bride walk down the aisle with her Father by her side.

Joyous laughter during a May wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Reception detail photos at Briar Ridge Country Club.

The reception featured some knock out speeches from two small members of the wedding party and the taco truck later in the evening was a big hit.

A May wedding reception at Briar Ridge Country Club in Schererville, Indiana.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Sheri and Ryan's May wedding at Briar Ridge Country Club. Please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about your big day.

Outdoor Weddings In Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan

March 19, 2018 Steve Vansak

A ceremonial garden planting during an outdoor wedding at The Red Barn Experience.

A few weeks ago I had an article on Church Weddings with examples, tips and stories of the various chapels, churches and more that I've shot at. Today we showcase outdoor wedding ceremonies. I've shot at so many outdoor wedding venues that I can't possibly show them all here, but I can post a few along with some tips down below if you are planning an outdoor event.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at The Pavilion at Sandy Pines.

One of my favorite outdoor wedding venues is Sandy Pines Pavilion. What is nice about this Demotte, Indiana golf course wedding destination at that photos before and after can all be done right there along with the reception.

One of the other hidden benefits of an outdoor ceremony is I often have more area to move about as a photographer. This means I can swirl about to the front side and capture some emotional moments from family and guests like in the collage above.

If country club weddings are not your thing, we have plenty of farmland here in Northwest Indiana. The photos below from Meadow Springs Manor shows this off as does other area venues such as County Line Orchard and Red Barn Experience.

Outdoor wedding at Meadow Springs Manor.

Bride and groom at Meadow Springs Manor.

Not too many people realize that there are outdoor weddings in Chicago quite often that have the city as a backdrop. So this is an option as well.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at The Cancer Survivor's Garden in Chicago.

Here are my top tips for planning an outdoor wedding ceremony:

If you think the wind blowing your veil around is annoying, think about what it might do to the decorations you have set up. Have a plan to secure chairs, lanterns, flowers and more. While I may use the wind to my advantage to have your veil blowing in the wind romantically, we certainly don't want the archway to come crashing down. :)
Outdoor weddings often have a structure like a gazebo or archway, etc. and these can often cast shadows from a blazing sun. Ask your officiant to look closely at you as they begin the proceedings. Have them move you if need be so there are no shadows or stripes coming across your face. I've seen the slats of the gazebo cast a shadow across the groom's face making it look like he has black bars tattooed on. Look at each and move a few steps if you see this happening.
If you are using a non traditional area such as a beach where you often visit or something along those lines, don't assume you have a wedding there even if it's a quick "15 minute" nuptial. You will need to secure a permit. This will be a lot less expensive than paying a fine.
If you are having an outdoor reception at say your parent's beautiful home, be sure to have generators on hand in case the electricity fails or the home simply cannot handle the enrgy of a DJ and outdoor lighting, cooking, etc.
The "R"word - also known as rain, thunder, lightning and more. If it's a slight rain, don't worry about it - get some umbrellas and let's have us a wedding and take some pictures. My equipment can handle it as can I. If it's looking to be more than that, take out the extra expense of reserving a tent company just in case.
Concerned about too much sun and guests? Consider passing out some stylish floppy hats as they enter the ceremony area. Or, simply warn them ahead that this is an outdoor venue with very little shade.

I often hear, "oh no, my day is overcast and cloudy". As photographers, we love this! I don't have to fight with the sun and we have plenty more vantage points to choose from. Just because it's cloudy doesn't mean your photos will look gloomy in the right photographer's hands.

A cloudy overcast day at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

At those church weddings I wrote about recently, I often show off the architecture. This can be done at outdoor weddings in a way as well. Clouds and sun take the place of stained glass windows, etc.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at Centennial Park.

Fun outdoor wedding ceremony photos at Briar Ridge Country Club.

Outdoor wedding ceremonies in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan.

Outdoor wedding garden at Trinity Hall in Chesterton, Indiana.

I hope you have enjoyed this article about outdoor weddings in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and Michigan. Please fill out the Contact Form to inquire about photography for your big day, indoor or outdoors. :)

The 2017 Northwest Indiana Wedding Photography Year In Review

December 26, 2017 Steve Vansak

Bride applies lipstick at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, Indiana.

Welcome once again to the Region Weddings Year In Review for wedding photography in Northwest Indiana, Chicago and southern Michigan. Settle in as it was another full year of weddings and this my longest article of the year with lots of images. To see a video slideshow of this post, check out The 2017 Year In Review video.

The 2017 wedding season saw me photograph for the first time at the historic Barker Mansion in Michigan City. My goal with this series of bridal portraits was to showcase the vintage history of the iconic building with a very modern bride. This resulted in some glorious color right next to sepia tones.

Bride on red staircase at Barker Mansion in Michigan City, IN.

There were quite a few winter wedding this year starting with Annie and Paul at Fair Oaks Farmhouse and then Lynne and Dale with a church ceremony at a stop at One Trick Pony brewery. Samantha and Dale were married at Saint Maria Goretti Church with a very chilly stop by Centennial Park.

As winter gave way to Spring (very begrudgingly), Sam and Alex and Amanda and Mike were on board for a pair of church weddings along with stops at Buckley Homestead.

Spring wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom strike a magazine style pose at Centennial Park.

Late summer and early Spring saw Emily and Zach with an outdoor ceremony at Villa Cesare and Amanda and Josh at St. Michael's Church.

High fives, neon love, sisters / bridesmaids and church wedding ceremonies.

Summer weddings saw the flowers of Northwest Indiana in full bloom at Hans and Karla's outdoor ceremony at The Inn At Aberdeen with lakeside photos for Jill and Johnny.

July wedding photos in Northwest Indiana.

Bride and groom kiss in front of the old Crown Point Courthouse.

Ashlee and Ryan took a tour of downtown Crown Point for their wedding photos while Samantha and Tyler stayed in Valparaiso for their Aberdeen Chapel ceremony with pictures at Taltree Arboretum and a reception at The Market.

August weddings in Crown Point and Valparaiso.

Post ceremony kiss at The Chapel at Aberdeen Manor.

The groom spins his bride near the cornfields of Indiana.

Late summer say another new venue, Meadow Springs Manor with Karlie and Corey and a spectacular day at The Pavilion At Sandy Pines with Bethany and Keenin and their classic Mustang.

Late summer weddings at Meadow Springs Manor and Sandy Pines.

Bride and groom ride away in a classic Mustang.

September and October were definitely the busiest for weddings as well as engagement sessions. This part of the season saw Christina and Melvin at the incredible Uptown Center and Emily and Todd who were married at the final event at the bride's (soon to be torn down) childhood church next to her parent's home.

Bride on stage at The Uptown Center in Michigan City.

Bride and groom kiss in front an old chapel in Hebron, Indiana.

Romantic wedding photo in downtown Michigan City.

I photographed two Serbian weddings in 2017 with Jessica and Marinko at St. Simeon Church in Chicago and Tanja and Kevin at St. George in Schererville. The circle dances never stopped on either day.

Serbian weddings in Chicago and Schererville, Indiana.

The sun sets as the bride and groom gaze at each other beneath the tall trees in the forest.

As Fall kicked in, I photographed two weddings on opposite ends of the region both in style and geography - Katie and Mike at Lighthouse Restaurant with it's nautical vibe and The Allure in South Bend with Morganne and Chris.

Fall weddings at Lighthouse Restaurant and The Allure.

Bride and groom on the pier at Lighthouse Restaurant.

Bride and groom on a leaf filled bridge near Coffee Creek in Chesterton, Indiana.

The Autumn weddings also saw stops at Sand Creek Country Club with Jessica and Mitchell and The Spa in Porter, Indiana with Julia and Evan. Both weddings featured a deluge of leaves and Fall color.

Autumn leaves at wedding venues Sand Creek Country Club and The Spa.

The bride and groom share a kiss surrounded by Fall color at The Inn At Aberdeen.

November saw a pair of church weddings with Gina and Marcus at The Chapel At Avalon Manor and Emily and Jeff at Holy Name Catholic Church and reception at The Center For Performing Arts. Both had an abundance of unique Fall colors.

Bride in mirror before walking down the aisle.

I certainly can't forget Jeremiah and Kevin with their big Christmas wedding at The Uptown Center or Whinchester and Whinchester (aka Jennifer and David) - my first ever bride and groom with the same last name.

Christmas red and a bride and groom in blue.

Thank you so much for a terrific 2017 in weddings!! I have one more on December 30th so be sure to stay tuned here for the final wedding of 2017. To inquire about your big day, as always please complete the Contact Form. I hope you have a terrific New Year and let's hope for a 2018 filled with love.

Bride inside the "red room" at Barker Mansion.

Outdoor Wedding At Meadow Springs Manor

September 19, 2017 Steve Vansak

A romantic moment in the sun for the bride and groom at Meadow Springs Manor.

The September sun was out in full swing for Karlie and Corey's outdoor wedding at Meadow Springs Manor. Our day started in the morning with bride and bridesmaid getting ready photos inside the bed breakfast surrounded by Indiana cornfields in Francesville. I photographed the details along with the goofy fun shots as these girls let their personalities shine.

Wedding details at Meadow Springs Manor.

Fun photos with the bride and her bridesmaids.

Wedding day fun at Meadow Springs Manor.

As I photographed the bride and her crew, second photographer Kerrie was with the guys. Soon it was time for Karlie to get into her dress and off we were to the first look.

A September bride at Meadow Springs Manor.

The groomsmen get ready for the big day.

I had Corey waiting for Karlie near the outdoor ceremony area and he tensed up as she slowly made her way to him. A big grin came over him as they embraced and he saw her for the first time in her wedding dress.

A kiss for the bride and groom in the Indiana cornfields.

We took a variety of fun and romantic shots and then the wedding party went back into the bed and breakfast to freshen up before the outdoor ceremony.

The bride and her bridesmaids having a blast on wedding day.

The wedding party at Meadow Springs Manor.

The sun was in it's full glory for this September wedding....

The bride and groom share a kiss as the bright sun illuminates them on an Indiana farm.

The Happily Ever After sign directed guests to their seats for this outdoor wedding ceremony in the garden area of Meadow Springs Manor.

Outdoor wedding ceremony at Meadow Springs Manor.

First kiss at Meadow Springs Manor wedding ceremony.

Karlie and Corey's reception had some of the funniest speeches and the 'candy toss" for the kids was certainly a good time.

Wedding reception at Meadow Springs Manor.

First dances for the bride and groom at Meadow Springs Manor.

I hope you have enjoyed this sneak peek look at Karlie and Corey's outdoor September wedding at Meadow Springs Manor. To inquire about wedding photography for your big day, please fill out the Contact Form and stay tuned to Instagram for more images from this wedding and others.